Side
events at UNFCCC meetings have a place
for everyone. They provide an excellent
forum for the private sector,
environmental organizations, research
institutions, intergovernmental agencies
and governments to speak freely,
showcase their work, dream about the
future, and try to sell some carbon to
willing buyers. The events provide a
platform for both creative and practical
expression, often racing ahead in
brainstorming the future while
governments continue to battle
stalemates.
Generally
speaking, the content of the side events
at SB-20 did not parallel the official
negotiations. While the Subsidiary
Bodies’ negotiations on implementation,
and scientific and technological advice
plodded along, the side events were
sharing exciting on-the-ground
experiences, and pre-emptively exploring
subjects that will be addressed at
COP-10 and beyond. Side events were also
used to showcase successful
accomplishments, such as the momentous
occasion of the presentation of India’s
initial national communication. This
brief analysis will provide a general
overview of the SB-20 side events,
grouped into three broad themes:
adaptation and mitigation; the Kyoto
Protocol mechanisms; and the future of
the climate change regime.
Adaptation
and Mitigation
Adaptation and mitigation are widely
recognized as crucial issues for the
climate change regime. Indeed, COP-7
side events on adaptation greatly
contributed to laying the groundwork
for negotiations on the issue by
initiating a brainstorming process on
ways to streamline adaptation into
development policies by making the
concept of adaptation more appealing
through links between poverty and
climate change.
At SB-20,
adaptation and mitigation gained their
entry ticket to the negotiations with
the organization of two SBSTA Workshops
specifically addressing these subjects.
However, there were very a few side
events dealing with adaptation at SB-20,
and these focused primarily on disaster
reduction. One side event showcased work
done by the Germany Technical
Cooperation (GTZ) in Mozambique to
mainstream adaptation in the work of
donor agencies.
Compared to the number of
adaptation-related side events, there
were many more that explored possible
mitigation measures. A couple of side
events looked at emissions from various
modes of transportation, including
trains and aviation. Renewable energy
was also presented as a tool for
mitigation, particularly when combined
with technology transfer.
The results of the high-profile
renewables 2004 conference, held 1-4
June 2004, in Bonn, Germany, also fed
into the SB-20 side events. In addition,
many delegates welcomed the side event
organized by Peru, which focused
on air pollution control as a first step
to greenhouse gas mitigation, as it
offered practical approaches toward
greenhouse gas mitigation.
The Kyoto
Mechanisms
Side
events related to the Clean Development
Mechanism (CDM), Joint Implementation (JI)
and the emerging EU Emissions Trading
Scheme (EU-ETS) continued to be popular
at SB-20, with particular attention to
the mechanisms’ development
and implementation. These events enabled
the Secretariat, the CDM Executive
Board, the International Emissions
Trading Association and governments to
convey pertinent and practical
information to Parties, project
developers and other interested
stakeholders, and explain new technical
developments. The side events related to
the CDM identified the CDM as a
multi-stage approach to mitigating
emissions, and reiterated the need for
capacity and market infrastructure for
implementation. While the CDM projects
cycle is still considered risky by
projects developers, one of the outcomes
of the side events on CDM project
development was the recognition that
validation is on the right track, and
that stakeholders should consider the
CDM project cycle as a “learning by
doing” process.
In
general, the side events on the Kyoto
Protocol mechanisms indicated a stronger
engagement of the private sector, either
seeking clarification on guidelines or
supporting CDM projects. These side
events also became a place to announce
and remind participants and Parties of
bold deadlines and targets, including
the EU-ETS final allocation decision at
the member States level by September
2004.
Overall, it seems that the purpose of
these side events was not so much to
feed in to the negotiations, but to
share experiences, clarify information
and impart new knowledge.
Looking
Forward
A
number of side events explored ways for
advancing the climate change regime,
particularly focusing on the post-2012
period. While post-Kyoto scenarios were
a dreamfor the negotiators still battling the
“adequacy of commitments” at SB-20, side
events were considerably more
avant-garde. The futuristic climate
bazaar showcased goods of all colors,
including: the evolution of commitments
under the UNFCCC; a global climate
community through “contraction and
convergence”;
technology-based options; and
multi-regime decision support tools.
Although each side event had its own
philosophy on how to live in a
post-Kyoto world, some concurred on the
necessary premises for an effective
global climate change regime, including
the necessity for a long-term and
sustainable development perspective,
firm political and financial
commitments, the inclusion of
externalities in assessing policy costs,
openness to a plurality of climate
regimes, and engagement of all
stakeholders including non-Parties.
Recurring themes in the discussions on
the future included the importance of
Annex I countries to fulfill their
obligations before non-Annex I countries
can be expected to take on emission
reduction commitments, and the
importance of mitigation in reaching the
objectives of the Convention. Another
cross-cutting theme which emerged was
the recognition of the limitations of
technology development in mitigation.
The
non-governmental organization Friends of
the Earth organized an exemplary side
event showcasing the way forward. The
event strategically looked at future
actions at the policy level to ensure a
viable, long-term, global climate change
framework, and identified specific
commitments, targets and initiatives
proposed by governments and industry to
reduce greenhouse gases as well as
possible pathways for re-engaging
non-Parties. Another interesting side
event on ecological and carbon debt,
organized by the University of Ghent,
provided interesting food for thought on
how these equity concepts could be
incorporated into the climate change
regime. Unfortunately however, the
presenters may have been preaching to
the converted, as the audience was
almost entirely comprised of
environmental NGOs.
The
discussions on future scenarios also
wandered down the path of inter-linkages
between the Rio conventions, with
countries like Belgium showcasing their
achievements in improving synergies.
Meanwhile, the focus on Russian
ratification took a backseat in SB-20
side events as participants await the
nod from Moscow.
Conclusion
Many SB-20 side events
were forward looking, discussing
subjects that will be addressed at
COP-10, such as adaptation and
mitigation, and delving into intense
discussions on possible ways forward for
the climate change regime. In addition,
many other events tackled some of the
nitty-gritty details and practical
implementation issues relating to the
Kyoto Protocol mechanisms. Whether the
ideas generated in the side events will
ever permeate the official negotiations
is an important question. Perhaps SBSTA
will hold further in-session workshops
to help serve this purpose.